If you look at the number of stars in the universe, the odds that we are unique seem to be almost zero. There has to be at least some bacteria on another world starting it's journey to intelligent life.

Originally posted by Dr.Evil and i wish our government would tell us what they are hiding in area 51!

So do I doc, but they never will. If they did there would be pure chaos. Everyone would question religion and moral standards would go down the drain worse than they already are now days. I am curious though and I do believe our Gov. is hiding tons of cool shit from us.

Earth 2

"If god made all those planets and other galaxies besides our own, why waste them without intelligence?... I don't think the aliens would come all the way over here to start a fight, that would be a total waste of time... Who knows? There might even be an Earth 2!"

no really, I'll be honest, I don't think there is intelligent life on other planets, of course I don't really necessarily buy alot of the current science and theories that some hold about space either.

Just like ya'll said, it's almost 100% sure that there is LIFE on other worlds. That's basically a given. But in terms of INTELLEGENCE that might be off a bit. I don't remember exactly how it goes, but what someone told me was that from all the chances that happened to us, the second planet colliding with ours and creating the moon and the distance from the sun, etc... It actually isn't as likely to happen as some may think. They're could be life, but the would be at different stages of evolution.

Those are all theories of course, but it sure would be cool if there were INTELLEGENT beings out there.

Originally posted by Terinox But in terms of INTELLEGENCE that might be off a bit. I don't remember exactly how it goes, but what someone told me was that from all the chances that happened to us, the second planet colliding with ours and creating the moon and the distance from the sun, etc... It actually isn't as likely to happen as some may think.

not necessarily. consider that intelligent life may have evolved twice here on earth. pre-humans may have been killed off with the dinosaurs by the asteroid/comet that hit earth. that was the time when 90% of earth's species became extinct and it's very possible that humans were one of them...

by the way, this extinction event WILL happen again. the earth currently does not have the technology to divert a large asteroid from hitting the earth.

N=The number of civilizations in the Milky Way whose radio emissions are detectable

R=The rate of formation of stars with large enough habitablezone and long enough lifetime to be suitable for intelligent life.

Fp=The fraction of those stars with planets
The fraction os sun-like stars with planets is currently unknown, but evidence indicates that planetary systems may be common for stars like the sun.

ne=The number of "Earths" per planetary system
All stars have habitable zone where a planet would be able to maintain a temperature that would allow liquid water.

fl=The fraction of those planets where life develops
Although a planet orbits in a habitable zone of a suitable star, other factors are necessary for life to arise. Thus only a fraction would develope life

fi=The fraction life sites where intelligence developes
Life on Earth began over 3.5 billion years ago. Intelligence took a long time to develope. On other life-bearing planets it may happen faster, it may take longer, or not at all.

fc= The fraction of planets where technology develops
Technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space.

L=The "lifetime" of communicating civilizations
The length of time such civilizations release detectable signals into space

The sight I found this on is Space.com, they even have a link where you can do the equation yourself

I think there is life out there, if they can visit us then they are definitly evoluted far beyond us and if they wanted to take us over and use our planet for whatever im sure they could have already.
Its kinda strange how humans are supposly the most intelligent and at the same time also the most viloent life forms roaming our planet. It kinda of makes u think hey if there is life out there and they are more evoled then us i hope they arent as viloent as us either casue it seems the the smarter the speices the more violent it becomes it brings up debate maybe intelligence is over rated and its a curse to have we mastered the art of war animals fight and murder for survival we do it for no reason or letting out frustration and what not. Im rambling again sorry lol

Originally posted by BigD So is another life started a 1000 years before us somewhere else imagine how far along they are?

very true. for a universe that's billions of years old with trillions of planetary systems, 1000 years is a very small fraction. it is very likely that there is not any other intelligent civilization that is within 1000 years of our evolution.

as was said in the movie (or was it the book?) contact, any sign of intelligent life that we are able to detect would mean that that civilization is far more advanced that humans are b/c it would take thousands or millions of lightyears for their electromagnetic signals to get to earth and by the time we receive it, they would be thousands or millions of years ahead of us in evolution.

any species that would be technologically advanced enough to make contact with us must have an extremely evolved civilization.

very true. for a universe that's billions of years old with trillions of planetary systems, 1000 years is a very small fraction. it is very likely that there is not any other intelligent civilization that is within 1000 years of our evolution.

as was said in the movie (or was it the book?) contact, any sign of intelligent life that we are able to detect would mean that that civilization is far more advanced that humans are b/c it would take thousands or millions of lightyears for their electromagnetic signals to get to earth and by the time we receive it, they would be thousands or millions of years ahead of us in evolution.

any species that would be technologically advanced enough to make contact with us must have an extremely evolved civilization.

Have you guys seen the new hubble teleskop pics?
Released like a few weeks ago, showed that there were alot of galaxys around us that noone had ever seen before, so yes i do belive that there must be other lifeforms out there, if they fly around in disc´s is another question.